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SHAMANISM AND SHAMANIC HEALING

by Sarah Howcroft-Lane

Over tens of thousands of years, our ancient ancestors worldwide discovered how to maximize our human abilities for healing and problem-solving. The remarkable system of knowledge they developed is today known as shamanism, it is the earliest spiritual practice known to humankind, dating back possibly 100,000 years, and the word ‘Shaman’ comes from the Tung tribe of Siberia, meaning ‘healer’, or ‘one who sees in the dark’. Practices are based on certain knowledge and beliefs:

	The animistic belief that all things have a spirit, a blueprint, or creative force, which animates them, and their own consciousness, which can be communicated with
	Everything consists of energy which can be moved and transformed
	In the web of life, all things are interconnected and affect one another, and should be respected
	All dis-ease has spiritual origins, so by identifying the problem, and putting right the flow of energy, healing can be facilitated.

All modern forms of healing have originated from this knowledge.

In indigenous cultures the shaman is the doctor, counsellor, herbalist, and oracle for the tribe, getting guidance about where to hunt or to find food, or water, and talking to the plant spirits about how to use them for medicine. The shaman conducts ceremonies for birth, death, weddings, and rites of passage; space clearing for buildings and land; and helps the souls of the dead, stuck in this dimension, to pass over. The fact that shamanic methods are still in use after many thousands of years is testimony to their effectiveness – they produce practical results.

Shamanic techniques all over the world are based on a few basic practices, and modern ‘core shamanism’ brings together these key elements, without any particular cultural slant, although many practitioners still use ethnic techniques. Shamanism carries no dogma, requires no religious belief, and is non-judgmental.

The most common practice is the shamanic journey, in which the shaman uses a monotonous drum beat, rattle, or chant, to enter a trance state, and travels into the realms of spirit to consult with guides and power animals for healing or divination. A power animal is the spirit of an animal, which protects and guides us through life – and we all have at least one. Spirit guides are teachers in human form, angels, deities, historical figures, or ancestors. The shaman has a strong relationship with his or her animal and spirit guides, who do the healing work and give guidance on journeys.

A shamanic healer typically uses a repertoire of healing methods, such as energy healing, body work, crystals, and sound, as well as healings done using the shamanic journey, which most commonly include power and soul retrieval, and extraction. The healer must also work on healing themselves, to become like a ‘hollow bone’, free from ego and projections, so that they can give their complete attention and be fully present with the client, without becoming judgmental or energetically drained. This is an important and ongoing part of the shamanic training.

Soul retrieval is a powerful healing for those needing a quantum leap along their life’s path, it is a healing that requires genuine commitment, and should not be undertaken lightly. Soul loss can happen at any time, when traumatic life events occur, for example at birth, emotional or physical abuse, bullying, accident, bereavement, surgery, extreme stress, or relationship difficulties, and can stem from past life traumas too. A part of the soul’s essence splits off and goes away, to preserve itself – as a result, the full life force is not present or able to function, causing symptoms and problems. Symptoms of soul loss include, among others:

	A feeling of not being ‘all there’
	Depression
	Physical or mental illness
	Disempowerment and struggle, out of touch with creativity
	Relationship difficulties
	Lack of confidence – general, or in some particular area
	Fears and phobias
	Inability to focus
	Addiction

Soul retrieval typically takes two healing sessions. In the first, the shaman journeys to bring back the missing soul part(s), to be returned. A healing begins with a smudging ceremony, using burning sage to cleanse and create sacred space, and the shamanic healer connects with their spirit allies through prayer or meditation. The healer then uses a drum beat for the ten or fifteen minute journeying process, during which the client simply relaxes, and is receptive to whatever may happen. The healer returns with the soul part, and blows it into the client’s energy system, usually through the heart and the crown chakras, before telling the client the story of the journey, and any guidance received.

The second session, around a week later, aids this integration by helping the client find ways to welcome the soul part, find its active role, and to bring it fully into life once more. After integrating, this soul part could be expected to bring qualities back to the person, such as courage and self esteem, the ability to play, create, or trust. The effects of soul retrieval can cause rapid and profound shifts, often more apparent when looked at in hindsight, over the following weeks or months.

Power retrieval, or restoring part of the client’s personal power in the form of their power animal, is similar, and can be achieved with one healing session. Shamanic cultures say that we are all born with a power animal, and this connection is very important to our wellbeing. Symptoms of power loss can include a series of unfortunate events, minor accidents and illnesses, or just being unable to ‘get it together’, so this healing can result in significant improvements in a person’s confidence and abilities, and connects them with a guide whom they can consult whenever necessary.

Extraction healing involves the healer journeying to remove and transmute what is really just energy caught in the wrong place. When we are not truly full of our own power, blockages and intrusions occur in our energy system, caused by our own beliefs and attitudes (imagine a ‘bee in your bonnet’, a ‘chip on your shoulder’, a ‘rod for your own back’), the thoughts and actions of others (‘stabbed in the back’), or picked up accidentally as we walk through life’s sea of constantly moving energy (‘caught in the cross-fire’). Symptoms of these intrusions are very often physically painful.

A shamanic healer checks which aspects of a client’s spiritual health need attention for each healing - very often more than one type of shamanic healing is needed, in combination with work on the energy bodies and chakras, and there are many techniques besides journeying which could also be used. Every healing is completely unique. Shamanism can go directly to the roots of a problem and is always uniquely tailored to the needs of the individual. Whether you need one or two sessions, or an ongoing, supportive process, this can be guided by your own feelings and intuition.

I am a trained and very experienced Shamanic Practitioner based near Brecon. In addition to my healing practice I run introductory and advanced workshops in Shamanism and Journeying, and make beautiful deerskin drums, rattles and beadwork.

Sarah Howcroft-Lane

01874 665750